


City Love

by itsminayomi



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29675451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsminayomi/pseuds/itsminayomi
Summary: To me, the things that were meaningless before meeting youBecome new every day...City love All around the streetsCity love Love breathesCity love I’m thankful everydayCity love The city That sent you...Taking a leap of faith has never been a move that Hyukjae is familiar with. But after a bad break up, taking those scary leaps into the unknown has helped him cope with heartbreak as well as build a more confident and self-sufficient Lee Hyukjae. And for the first time in a long time, everything seems to be going his way, for the better even.So when the new tenant at his apartment building piques his interest, Hyukjae decides to go for it and ask him out. This may be the largest leap he has to take as he’s usually the one on the other side of the confession.
Relationships: Lee Donghae/Lee Hyukjae | Eunhyuk





	1. You had me at the clanking of your pots and pans

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as 'au that revolves around an elevator' which is inspired by that episode from the big bang theory where leonard tells penny how the elevator broke xD it was suppose to be really short but along the way I just didn't know how to continue it anymore so it sat in my google docs for a long time. Until last week where I was struck with ideas and here we are now kekeke from a short one shot to a chaptered fic (^○^)
> 
> This will be my first chaptered fic so I'm verrryyyy nervous on how this would turn out, however so far I'm proud with the parts that I've already written sooo I hope you enjoy reading this as much as my one shots ⊂（♡⌂♡）⊃
> 
> Title and lyrics are from Queen Taeyeon's City Love <3 credits to this website for the english translations ^^ (https://lyricskpop.net/lyrics/taeyeon-city-love-english-translation/)
> 
> Also can we please celebrate over the fact that Label SJ has finally pushed through with a March release and album previews!! skskskssks it looks soooo good, fit for kings of kpop <3 Can't wait for the songs and performances and the tons of variety shows appearance and guestings xD

Having the elevator in his apartment building is both a blessing and a curse. When Hyukjae first moved in, the elevator was working perfectly considering that the building was not particularly a new one, still the kind old landlady valued her tenant’s safety and comfort. Also, he was staying on the fourth floor of a six-floor apartment building, so having an elevator can be considered a luxury. 

Admittedly, riding it the first few days, Hyukjae was a bit wary of its safety. But after reading the recent certificate of elevator inspection several times to make sure it wasn’t forged, and a brand new can of fire extinguisher hanging by the corner next to the buttons, riding the elevator soon became one of the things he looks forward to every day.

After a long tiring day at work, unexpectedly, is one of the things Hyukjae looks forward to. There was just something about the faint sounds from the fan inside the elevator and the smooth ascent that just puts him in a relaxed state. 

Unfortunately, that one luxury Hyukjae indulges in, had to come to an end. Hyukjae just knew that gut feeling he had when he met with the then-new arrivals at his floor was bad news. After all, you get gut feelings to warn you, right? So, about three months after the new arrivals have settled in, when two police cars, a firetruck, and about a dozen men in police uniforms and protective gear welcome him in front of his apartment building after spending hours waiting on customers, he knew exactly what his gut feeling was telling him. 

After spending an hour and a half sitting on the plastic chairs outside the convenience store a short walk from his apartment building, a cup of his favorite instant ramen paired with two solo cartons of strawberry milk (normally he’d only get one, but given the circumstances, he’s in desperate need to consume something sweet and comforting), officials deduced the “accident” was due to a malfunction of the internal software of the elevator. Given that the building was already more than a decade old, the authorities don’t doubt that conclusion. 

So when the tenants and Mrs. Cho (the kind old landlady) were given the go signal to enter the building and go back to their respective apartments, Hyukjae’s eyes immediately went to the two physicists and saw them both sigh a breath of relief, further validating his gut feeling. 

But before he could explode into a rant and accusation, one of the two culprits, the smaller one named Baekhyun, clears his throat and asks all the tenants to stay for a while longer as he and his roommate—Chanyeol, had something to say.

They both started out with sincere apologies to kind Mrs. for almost causing her to lose both her home and source of income, as well as extending it to each of the tenants for the inconvenience they’ve caused. Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s eyes linger on Hyukjae a little longer, to which he gives them a reassuring smile.  _ Huh, maybe I’ve judged them too soon.  _

“You’re forgiven boys, thank you for owning up to the accident. Now, it’s been a long day everyone and I’m sure you’re all dying to hit the hay so let’s all get back to our units and get a good night’s sleep.” Everyone disperses after that, Mrs. Cho pats both the boys on the back and ushers them inside the complex, they both look less guilty and genuinely relieved at the end of the day.

Well, it’s been a long day and an equally long one the day after, he better start climbing the stairs if he wants to get some sleep as soon as he can.

  
  
  
  


_ The day after, when he was about to key into his apartment, Chanyeol and Baekhyun approach him with a big bowl of tteokbokki with another round of apologies. Before he could let out a reply, Baekhyun bashfully confessed that they both knew Hyukjae wasn’t particularly fond of them moving into the building. Hyukjae turns red at this revelation, he didn’t think he was making his dislike that obvious, so he apologizes to his fellow tenants for not giving them a chance first. _

_ Hyukjae enters his apartment with a bowlful of his favorite comfort food and two new friends. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ 3 months later… _

  
  
  
  


Hyukjae wakes up to incessant knocking and alternating chants of  _ hyung _ from voices he has grown accustomed to the moment he accepted the bowl of tteokbokki. Normally he’d rush to the door without much thought on his appearance, but since he’s positive it’s just Baek and Yeol at his door, he takes his time stretching this sleep-addled body, then proceeds to look at himself in the mirror to tame his bed hair and goes out of his bedroom to finally answer the door. But not without steering quickly to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. 

“Good morning gentlemen. What can I--”

“Hyung! The elevator is getting fixed!” Chanyeol and Baekhyun push past him, he could tell they were both overexcited cause they’re both literally vibrating with identical grins on their faces. 

He’s suddenly having flashbacks of his pets back at home, choco and bada, a chocolate brown Pomeranian, and a white and brown mix Shih Tzu. The two pups would never fail to welcome him home with excited barks, jumping up and down on their hind paws trying to reach up to his face to give him welcome home kisses. He’s going to have to give his mother a call after talking to his two visitors.

“Hyung~ Pay attention to us.” there’s now a pout on Baekhyun’s lips now that they’ve realized Hyukjae isn’t listening to anything they’ve said so far. Hyukjae chuckles at the sight, now he’s more sure that they were both puppies in their past life.

“Sorry, I literally just woke up. You have to give my mind a few seconds to catch up.” he lightly shakes his head to help him focus, “What was the thing you said at the door?” 

The grins on Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s face return, “The elevator is finally getting fixed! Channie saw repairmen talking to Mrs. Cho earlier this morning. They’re probably taking a look at it now as we speak.” Chanyeol nods all throughout.

“Wow.” Hyukjae is a little breathless; all those times he hated living on the fourth floor just all due to him being overly emotional when he’s bone tired from work, and for the past three months, and with the elevator broken Hyukjae is forced to exert the little to no energy he has left in his being to climbed four flights of stairs just to get to the bed in his apartment on the fourth floor. 

Hyukjae remembers shedding a tear or two on more than one occasion. But in his defense, their delivery day coincided with their busiest day of the week. So you could only imagine the amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins just to get the orders correct and delivered while sorting through the boxes upon boxes of goods to see if everything arrived safely and in the correct quantity.

“No more extra cardio after work.” he voices out, then a relieved chuckle bubbles out of his chest. It sounds ridiculous from someone else’s point of view, but if you had Hyukjae’s work ethic you would surely sympathize with him. 

Which is what Baekhyun and Chanyeol do, completely encasing Hyukjae’s body between theirs, the boys’ arms wrapping themselves around his own lithe form. And there’s just nothing Hyukjae could do but let his two favorite neighbors bounce his body with theirs in a happy little circle they’ve formed in celebration. Sometimes you have to find joy in the little things.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The usual playlist is blasting through Hyukjae’s well-kept earphones. There’s a skip to his step, he had a hearty breakfast due to the leftovers from last night, kimchi jjigae, and bossam courtesy of his loyal customer and closest friend Leeteuk hyung, whom he thanks God for picking up an interest in taking cooking classes. The older loved being able to cook new recipes so much that he even took it further as to taking the intermediate and advanced level classes. In fact, after being a taste tester for that one time his hyung’s boyfriend was out on a business trip, it was only right that he continued being a source of honest opinion for all those times Leeteuk was trying to recreate the recipes he’s learned in class. It’s safe to say that Hyukjae gained a few healthy pounds.

Anyway, on his way to the elevator (which was fixed two weeks ago but the excitement of riding it like it’s brand new is still fresh), an irritated grunt manages to sneak past the beats of his playlist, halting him midstep to check if there was another person with him in the hallway or if it was another one of those weird brain farts Hyukjae experiences when his brain wants to mess with his revere. 

It all happened so fast that all Hyukjae was able to catch was a loud thud, followed by the clanking of what seemed to be pots and pans and a few strings of profanities from the man where the disarray came from. Without much thought, he pauses his playlist and pockets his phone and earphones, and reaches for the pot that has rolled all the way towards him. 

“Moving just isn’t complete without dropping a box or two.” Hyukjae shares a chuckle with the stranger, crouching down and helping him pick up the kitchen utensils that have scattered around the man. 

“ _ God,  _ tell me about it. Had I known I owned this much stuff I would’ve hired a moving crew. Thank god this building has an elevator.” 

“Well had you moved in two weeks ago you’d have one more thing to complain about.”

“Why, was there something wrong with the elevator?”

The moment he lifts his head to finally look the stranger in the eyes, Hyukjae is immediately struck with all the rom-com movies and drama series his noona has made him watch with her when her husband is too busy with work to do it instead. 

The scene that unfolds before him is a textbook  _ cliche _ . In front of him was a man that has, for sure, a face the divine had taken his sweet time to create. The stranger had smooth, soft-looking skin that, although was not without any blemishes, somehow it added to the charm that the man was naturally radiating. Along with skin that seemed to glow in daylight, the man also had dark almond eyes that had a natural sparkle to them. Hyukjae could picture himself looking into those eyes all day and not get tired of losing himself in it.  _ Damn. _

“Uhh, the elevator gave out since it’s been here for more than a decade already—I’m Hyukjae, Lee Hyukjae from apartment 403.”  _ Nice voice and breathing control Hyukjae, now chill on the eye contact we wouldn’t want to scare him away.  _

“Nice to meet you, I’m Lee Donghae. I guess I’ll have to get used to seeing your face first thing in the morning.”  _ Did I hear that right? I haven't thought that far along but I guess if that is where— _

“Sorry,”  _ Donghae’s  _ abrupt chuckles wake Hyukjae from his inner monologue (borderline  _ very detailed  _ daydream involving the fine specimen bestowed upon him this morning) and completely unaware of the confused facial expression he showed when the said man introduced himself. “I meant I’ll be moving in the apartment opposite yours, 404.”

“Ah,”  _ what a pity _ “404? That apartment has been vacant for so long, I even forgot who the previous tenants were.”

“Ahjumma said the same thing! It’s such a shame, it’s a corner apartment as well. It’s a good thing no one picked it up or else I wouldn’t be walking distance from where I’ll be working at.” Donghae says then he does this thing wherein he smiles but with his lips sealed together and his eyes turn to crescents. Just when Hyukjae thought he couldn’t get any cuter, he had to see him look like that adorable Samoyed dog his nephew has been begging for him to get for his sixth birthday since his noona promised her son she’d get it for him when he turns ten.

And just when his mind was still scrambling to find something for him to say to further stretch the conversation, Hyukjae’s phone started violently vibrating against his thigh. He mutters a  _ sorry one sec  _ and throws a quick smile towards Donghae and turns to answer his phone. “Hell—”

_ “Yah, where are you? You complain so much about not seeing me work but when I do, you’re nowhere to be found! You’re clearly playing favorites here just because Taemin is younger—“ _

“Hyung,  _ hyung _ , I’m already on my way. I was just helping my neighbor with some stuff, plus, it’s not my fault I always catch you napping in the breakroom even if it wasn’t your break yet.”

_ “And of all those times, have there been customers at the cafe? Don’t lie! I only do that when I am sure that there wasn’t anyone who needs my attention.” _

“And what about that time I really needed you with the delivery and you just slept through all the yelling I’ve done from across the cafe?”

_ “Hey, I already paid you back for that! And you know how thick the walls are at the breakroom, I honestly couldn’t hear you.” _

“Whatever you say hyung, anyway I’ll be there in ten minutes. See you then.”

“Sorry about that, anyway—” but when Hyukjae turned to where Donghae was, the handsome male was no longer there. There’s also no noise of boxes being moved from Donghae’s apartment, which Hyukjae takes as a sign that the other was resting. So he just plugs his earphones and continues to whichever song it was before.  _ There are plenty more opportunities to get to know him,  _ he tells himself while he waits for the elevator. For now, there’s a very adamant Heechul hyung he needs to  _ oversee _ . What a way to start the morning

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Hyung! Have you heard the news?”

“Good morning to you too Baekhyun, Chanyeol.” he hears the taller of the two chuckles and mutters a  _ good morning hyung _ in reply. Baekhyun, however, is too hyped up to notice that Hyukjae has purposely ignored his question and is practically still bouncing on the balls of his feet like a toddler waiting for his parents to notice him.  _ Cute.  _ “Alright Baek, what’s the news?”

“We’re getting a new neighbor!” Baekhyun announces, his arms moving animatedly as he’s telling them the good news, “Turns out we don’t have to wait that long for a newcomer since mrs. Cho’s nephew’s friend has been looking for a place to move into. Plus I heard from ahjumma that her nephew’s friend is  _ quite  _ the looker.” then he accompanies that statement with a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows, as well as a nudge on his elbow. Oh if they only knew how much Hyukjae  _ knows _ . 

“I can’t believe I’d live to see the day you two are late to the news.” the look on both his neighbors-turned-midnight-snack-buddies’ face was hysterical, Chanyeol’s eyes went really wide and any wider Hyukjae was sure they’d fall out of its socket while Baekhyun sputters and fails to get something out and results to just leaving his jaw ajar at his disbelief.  _ Oh dear,  _ it seems he’s finally broken his two favorite neighbors (his new neighbor is his favorite too, but that was in a different kind of sense. winks). 

  
  


_ Hyukjae met Donghae on Tuesday, it was now Friday, which is three days after. And during those days in between, Hyukjae had been blessed with so many opportunities to run into the said male. Well, not all of it was entirely on accident, some were on purpose. Like how Hyukjae purposely sets aside a freshly baked banana and almond bread and assembles some grilled chicken and tomato-basil pesto sandwiches that they weren’t able to sell out that day.  _

_ The confidence Hyukjae had built up, however, was starting to dwindle when he had already knocked a total of three times and there seems to be no one to answer. Hyukjae was ready to turn and open his own door instead when the door opened and revealed a flustered-looking Donghae. Hyukjae was so enamored with how adorable Donghae looked with blush spreading across his cheeks, he almost missed the fact that the other was only wearing a muscle tee and basketball shorts. Oh, and did he mention that the man was covered in sweat? _

_ “Were you waiting long? Sorry, I didn’t hear you, I was in the middle of a workout.”  _

That’s totally fine, just out of curiosity do you normally workout around this time? _ “That’s fine, I actually thought you were still out for work.“  _ that’s right Hyukjae, focus on his eyes and not on the impressive fireARMS he has.

_ “Still, I’m sorry you must have waited long. No, actually I took leave until tomorrow just so I could have my things settled.” Donghae says (this is where Hyukjae is sure God, the world, and any other higher being out there is testing him) and casually crosses his glorious arms over his chest, to which Hyukjae (says a strong fuck you to the universe) smiles in reply and instead puts all his focus into thrusting the paper bag in his hand towards temptation aka Lee Donghae. “I got these as a welcome to the building gift for you. They’re my best sellers, hope you like them.” _

_ “Woah, you made these? I actually really love banana bread, thank you so much!” Hyukjae can’t help the chuckle bubbling from his chest as Donghae takes a sniff at the banana and almond bread, and he hears the latter sigh in content, complete with his eyes closing for a moment and a smile across his lips. “You know something tastes amazing when it smells just as amazing.” _

_ “You flatter me, there are also a few sandwiches there for you to munch on. I didn’t know if you were a sweet or a savory kind of person.” _

_ “I’m okay with both really, but I try to balance them since it would be a waste to lose the muscles I build from overindulging.” _

_ “It’s a good thing I have such a fast metabolism then, cause I don’t think I could last a day without having at least one ramen to cap the night.” _

  
  


_ Hyukjae goes to bed that night constantly replaying the childlike laughter Donghae has and tries not to think about other ways he could get his neighbor to laugh like that again.  _

  
  
  


“Oh hey, good morning Hyukjae. Good morning as well Hyukjae’s friends.” Donghae sends the two one of his signature blinding smiles, all the while his right hand landing on Hyukjae’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze as a greeting. He unconsciously leans back and watches as the duo begin to look like goldfishes abruptly taken out of the aquarium, their mouths opening then closing. Hyukjae could practically hear the gears in their heads turning trying to get a word out but failing to do so,  _ how are you feeling smug when you were like that when you first saw him?  _ Shut up brain.

“Good morning, let me introduce you to the tenants of 401, Byun Baekhyun, and Park Chanyeol. Guys this is Donghae.” that seems to shake the two out of their stupor and take turns shaking Donghae’s outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you Donghae-ssi, sorry we haven’t been good neighbors we didn’t know you already moved into the building. We were just planning what to get you for a housewarming gift.”

“It’s no worry guys, and please just call me hyung, we just haven’t crossed paths until this morning plus the only times I leave the apartment is when I have to go and get home from work.” Donghae sheepishly chuckles, his hand coming up to rub at his nape looking like those shy boy next door type of protagonists.  _ I’ve got to stop comparing him to romance protagonists, it’s not good for my health. _

“When did you move in hyung? Usually, Hyukjae hyung is never early for news involving the apartment building and yet he knew about you moving in earlier than us.”  _ oh dear Lord up above _ , it may seem to be an innocent question to those who don’t know who Baekhyun is, boy you have a lot to learn. There is a reason why these two were the culprit of the broken elevator, and it’s not as simple as you think it is. 

But let’s set that aside for another day, Hyukjae’s main concern right now is to convince Baekhyun and Chanyeol that it’s not what they’re thinking. (Let’s be honest though, Hyukjae already had a big fat crush on Donghae ever since the pots and pans encounter but he’s not ready for his two neighbors to know as that would be like unleashing Pandora’s box, if instead of evil intentions and misery it were full of suggestive innuendos and relentless teasing with  _ and  _ without the other party involved—aka Donghae.) Although Hyukjae is trying really hard to remain calm, his chuckle comes out a little shaky, and Baekhyun’s grin, which was subtle at first, is now full-blown teasing. 

“We met on the day I moved in actually, I dropped my last box and he helped me with the cleanup. Oh—sorry guys I really need to go, it’s nice meeting you both let’s catch up later alright?” Donghae says a quick  _ goodbye,  _ waving at all three of them as he sprints to catch the elevator coming down from the 6th floor. All three tenants were quiet the whole minute Donghae took to enter the elevator. 

“So Donghae hyung, huh?” 

“I was being a kind future neighbor, you guys know how helpful I am.”

“Hmm, you sure are hyung but that doesn’t explain why you never told us someone finally moved into apartment 404.” Hyukjae would very much like to wipe that smug look on Baekhyun’s face, it’s making him feel small  _ and  _ that’s saying a lot when they’re both the same height. “It must’ve slipped my mind, you know how busy I am with the cafe.” Instead, he tries to reason out, keeping as much eye contact as possible but failing to maintain it when Baekhyun cockily raises an eyebrow at him as if asking him,  _ you sure about that? _

“Okay Baek, you’ve made your point now stop making Hyukjae hyung sweat. I’m sure hyung didn’t mean to keep Donghae hyung to himself, he just can’t help it when he must’ve been  _ exactly _ his type.” now at this point as much as Hyukjae tries to keep up with the annoying facade paired with a hard and stern glare at the pair snickering like a pack of hyenas, the blush that has completely covered his face and neck betrays him.

“Oh my god hyung you do like him!” Baekhyun shouts as if they were the only ones on the fourth floor, then next thing he knows is that he is enveloped in a tight embrace of shaking limbs and lets his form be swept in the mess of bodies bouncing on the balls of their feet. They must look like a bunch of fools right now, too bad Hyukjae doesn’t really care when this feels  _ so  _ good. “Wait, how did you guys know exactly?”

“ _ C’mon  _ hyung, is there another Lee Hyukjae who eats midnight snacks and watches Netflix dramas and movies with us? You swoon every time the lead actor takes really good care of their partner—”

“—you like it when they look muscular but not too much that it would feel like you were cuddling a bag of rocks—”

“—oh! You’re not really impressed with grand gestures but you lean in when you see that the lead actor doing simple acts like bringing flowers to their partners  _ just because _ or that one time—”

“Okay! I think you guys made your point, I’m surprised you pay so much attention to my ideal type  _ but you’re both clueless with yours. _ ” Chanyeol looks like he’d been shot with lightning with how fast his head shot up in attention while Baekhyun just deadpans a  _ what? _ , his confused face a vast contrast to Chanyeol’s panicked one. Hyukjae snickers at that and is a little surprised that the taller was able to pick that up when he purposefully whispered the last part.

“I said you guys know me so well, it’s kind of sweet I must admit.” he gives them a sweet smile and tries to hug them both for as much as his arms could reach. The duo reciprocates the act immediately and Baekhyun teasingly lands a loud, wet kiss right on his cheek, making Hyukjae shriek and try to pry the smaller of the two’s arms around him.

When all the laughter and teasing has died down, Chanyeol asks him if he has any plans on asking Donghae out. He stays silent for a few seconds, looking back at their previous interactions, Hyukjae hasn’t really thought of that. Sure, he finds his new neighbor attractive and yes, he  _ seems  _ to like the sound of Donghae’s laughter but asking him out? That hasn’t crossed his mind.  _ We’re barely even friends. _

“I think it’s too early for that. Don’t get me wrong, I do think he’s handsome and before you guys say it, yes he ticks about everything I’ve listed for my ideal type  _ but  _ we barely even know each other. I kind of want to get to know him first, enough for him to call me his friend. Plus, he just moved here, let’s give him time to settle in first. Heck, we don’t even know he might already be in a relationship.” 

“Oh c’mon hyung,” Baekhyun whines, he pulls and shakes at Hyukjae’s sweater sleeves like a little kid asking his parents to add one more chocolate bar into the shopping cart at the grocery store, “don’t you think if he was in a relationship, his partner would move in with him here as well?”

“What if he was one of those traditional types where they wait until marriage before they live together?” Chanyeol’s input makes him think about it for a moment but then again, Donghae doesn’t really look like the traditional type.

“I think we’d just have to wait guys, all I’m saying is that I know I have a crush on him but I don’t think it’s strong enough for me to think about making a move. What if in the end, what I’m feeling right now is just a  _ happy crush _ ?”

“Well I think you guys would be cute together, I can already imagine it! You’re already blushing so much from us teasing you, how long do you think it’ll take for Hyukjae hyung to turn into a human tomato when they become a couple?” Hyukjae grumbles at that last part, sometimes he wishes to just smack Baekhyun hard with a pillow just to shut him up for a second to a minute. 

_ God  _ he just hopes those two would tone it down with the teasing when Donghae is around, he doesn’t need a legitimate reason to make the pillow thing into reality.


	2. Grown a little wiser

“Hyuk, Teukie hyung is asking for your feedback on the sandwich samples he gave you and  _ only you _ yesterday, remember? Those five sandwiches that could easily make  _ both of us _ full but Teukie hyung adamantly ordered that  _ only your  _ feedback was necessary.” 

_ Here we go again.  _ “You do know it’s your fault Teukie hyung never asks for your opinion anymore.” Hyukjae finishes up by filling the display case to fully face Heechul, his hip resting on the counter beside the display case. It’s a good thing there were only a few customers that morning and were all attended to so they’re either on their phones or laptops. 

“Look he wanted my honest opinion and I gave it to him—”

“You said his homemade loaf was like eating cardboard and that it was so dry it dehydrated your mouth and that you’d need to down a whole liter of water to be able to get your salivary glands to start pumping out saliva. Those were your exact words and you even said it in one breath.” Boy Hyukjae remembers that day so well. He remembers feeling Leeteuk hyung’s excitement quickly leave his body when Heechul said that comment, the older’s face changed so quickly, it still scares Hyukjae to this day. 

Leeteuk ignored Heechul for a week and a half after that comment, that was how long it took him to perfect his loaf recipe. The day after Leeteuk hyung’s loaf was added and showcased on the display case was only then did Heechul hyung get to taste the new and improved version. The smell of freshly baked loaf was so heavenly, the customers ate up every batch that made it through the kitchen doors. No matter how hard Heechul hyung tried to save a loaf, a slice of it even, the moment he looks away it’s just as quickly snatched away. Hyukjae didn’t know whether to laugh at Heechul’s misfortune or pity him and secretly give him a piece just to end his misery.

“Hey, you said the loaf was dry too!”

“I did but that was it, you didn’t just kill the bull, you had to gut it as well!”

“Whatever! He should have forgiven and forgotten about it a long time ago, not hold a grudge for this long, and not let me have the privilege of tasting his creations before it hits the display.” Heechul grumbles and sulks, Leeteuk hyung rarely holds grudges. He’s usually the type to just simmer in it for a day, two days at most, then the next he’s fine again, but even Heechul has got to admit that his comment was out of line. They both know how passionate Leeteuk is with cooking and baking, especially when he’s trying recipes out. That comment wasn’t helpful at all.

“If you really want to get samples, just say sorry then buy him one of those Nike shoes he likes so much. I’m sure when you show him the shoes  _ and  _ say how sorry you are, he’d give you your own set of pastry samples.”

“You want  _ me  _ to  _ buy _ him an original pair of Nike shoes when  _ I  _ can’t even afford myself a pair??”

“I told you if you’d stop buying skins for those games you play—”

“Look, Hyuk, I know you  _ think  _ you’re being helpful but just stop right there. You’re not a gamer so I’m letting that comment slip—”

“Would you rather I tell you to stop purchasing those albums and photocards you love so much?”

“...”

“Give me five days, I’ll get him those Nike shoes he likes so much.” Heechul dejectedly retreats to the staff break room, probably to spend about fifteen minutes just staring into space, hopefully already planning out his expenses for the next five days.

  
  
  
  
  
  


After the lunch rush, it was pretty much uneventful during the afternoon. Most of the customers that come by are either groups of students that just got out of school and have decided to kill time at the cafe or the few college students that work better in places where it’s quiet yet not so much that the silence is deafening. 

Heechul seems to be in a much carefree mood after spending thirty minutes to himself in the staff break room, hopefully, whatever he plans to make up with Leeteuk hyung goes well. Honestly, Hyukjae thinks all Leeteuk needs from Heechul is a sincere apology and he’s back to being the older’s taste tester. He just added the Nike shoes simply because Hyukjae thinks letting Heechul hyung go with just an apology wasn’t enough.  _ Wink.  _ Anyway, Hyukjae’s just glad that Heechul is willing to make amends with Leeteuk hyung. 

“Do you think if I went behind the counter and got a sandwich, he’d notice?”

“What the hell—when’d you get here?” Hyukjae asks after managing to calm his racing heartbeat, right now he can’t find it in him to care that Donghae has seen him leap into the air like a frightened little mouse. That’ll be for later when he’s alone in his apartment and today’s scene would be on constant repeat in his mind, and a menagerie of emotions would come down on him ranging from embarrassment to mockery to disbelief, oddly enough. 

“We’ve been trying to get your attention a few times already, I’ve been calling your name nonstop—heck, even Kyu tried waving his hand in front of your eyes. What’s got your mind in the gutter?” Now that he has gotten back to his senses, Hyukjae takes a good look at the man leaning over the counter, and Donghae looks nothing short of mesmerizing. 

The man before him was wearing a simple white tee that was tight on all the wrong (read: RIGHT) places, his hair looks like it’s been styled at a salon, brushed up with a few stray strands of hair that falls over his forehead. This man was unconsciously ticking off items in Hyukjae’s  _ ideal type  _ list and he doesn’t even know it. “Sorry, I was just thinking about Heechul hyung, my coworker. What can I get you guys?”

“Can I get an iced americano and that sandwich you brought me the other day? That was so delicious I finished all three in one sitting.” 

“I’m glad you liked it,” Hyukjae says, already punching the order in the monitor after quickly glancing at the display case if there are any grilled chicken and tomato-basil pesto, the last two slices of strawberry shortcake catching his eye.  _ It’s a good thing there are two left, or that would have been awkward.  _ “Leeteuk hyung made that one day by accident when Heechul hyung and I tasted it for the first time we had to fight over the remaining slice.”

“That’s kind of cute—oh, this is Kyuhyun by the way, my best friend since high school. Our apartment building belongs to his aunt.” Donghae gestures to the tall guy beside him who has remained quiet and has watched the exchange from the start. Although, the more Hyukjae looks at him, the more he’s getting a feeling that he’s seen him somewhere before. 

“Nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard  _ so much  _ about you.” Kyuhyun reaches over to offer his hand, which Hyukjae gladly shakes, totally unaware of the slight change of tone.

“You too, Mrs. Cho talks about me?”

“Of course  _ she  _ does, she’s always talked about the pastries you bring her for her birthday, Christmas, New Year, and Valentine’s day, she really appreciates the treats. I have a feeling she’s already replaced me as her favorite nephew, yet we’re not even related.”

“Sorry man, it’s just that she was so nice when I moved in. When she knew I was alone, she would give me Tupperware containers of her cooking, she said I looked too skinny and would scold me for always buying meals from the convenience store. She reminds me of my mom sometimes.” he’s suddenly hit with a wave of warmth and longing, moving out and a long way from home was never easy. 

  
  
  


_ Hyukjae left home with so much uncertainty about himself and where he’s planning to take the next step in his life and career, and that translated to how he would interact with the people around him. As much as he tried to not let his worries overcome him, it would come to haunt him when he’s lying awake in bed and unable to sleep. There were so many things he’d like to open up to someone, anyone, and yet all the people he’s confided with were thousands of miles away.  _

_ Then one day he just breaks down and cries in the fire exit, thereby the railing on the second step of the stairs Hyukjae was hunched over. He has his arms wrapped around his shaking form, the more he tries to steady his breathing, the more tears spill from his eyes. He misses his parents so much, his noona and his best friend Sungmin, and his lovely wife Saeun. He misses his dog Choco and his mother’s cooking, he misses seeing his father lingering by his mother’s side while she cooks, and every so often he would crack jokes that would make her stop whatever she was doing just to laugh at whatever his father said. _

_ In the midst of crying his heart out, he jumps at the sensation of something or someone caressing his bowed head. He tries to lift his head to see who it was but his vision was so blurry from the tears and he’s unable to say a word as all that’s coming out of his lips are broken sobs. Hyukjae hears a soft shh, let it all out, the person taking a seat next to him, never letting their hand that was combing through his hair to cease. _

_ It takes a while for Hyukjae to calm down. Once he’s ready to face the person who’s comforted him, and finds Mrs. Cho’s kind smile and worried eyes. Before he could think of an excuse, Mrs. Cho beats him to it, “No need to tell me dear, whatever you’re going through must have been hard for you to break down. That also tells me you’re not ready to tell anyone, so I won’t ask that from you. All I’m going to say is that if you ever need someone to just cry on, you know where my unit is dear.” _

_ “Thank you Mrs. Cho, I just miss everyone back at home so much. It was my decision to move and I knew what I was getting into, I just didn’t think it would be this hard.” _

_ “Well we never really know, now do we? That’s life, you can never prepare yourself enough for what’s in store. But that was very brave of you taking the plunge of moving in the city despite of. Your parents must be so proud of you.” _

_ “They are, they were also really scared for me since I’m the youngest.” Hyukjae chuckles at the memory of how his parents reacted when he told him his plans of moving into the city. They looked like they wanted to stop him but when his parents looked each other in the eyes and had a silent conversation between them, they both looked back at him and pulled him in for a tight embrace.  _

_ ‘Don’t forget to text okay? If ever you need something, no matter how small or big, you tell us okay?’ his mother said to him when she pulls away enough to get a good look at his face, her hands gently cupping his cheeks and there are unshed tears in her eyes. _

_ ‘Mom, I’m not moving out tonight. I still have to look for a place.’ He tries to joke. _

_ ‘I know that, I’m just reminding you now as you tend to be forgetful.’ _

_ ‘I know mom, I won’t forget, don't worry. I love you both so much.’ _

_ ‘Aw, Hyukkie your father and I love you just as much. We’re proud of you Hyukjae, always. You and your sister, there’s nothing in this world that would make us turn away from you both. Never forget that.‘ Hyukjae hugs his parents tight that night, they spend a few peaceful seconds just being in each other’s embrace, their hearts feeling light and reassuring. _

_ “Talk to them dear, if not for what’s troubling you then just about mundane things. Ask them how they’ve been, how you’ve missed them, and all the things you’ve discovered while living here. They’d be happy to hear your voice after so long.” _

_ “I will and thank you again Mrs. Cho, I know it’s not much but it really means a lot to me.” _

_ “No problem, hold your head up dear, there’s so much to see beyond the ground you’re standing on.” _

  
  
  


“No harm done, she’s always been nice.” Kyuhyun waves the comment off, hoping to convey that he meant no ill intention with his, “Oh, hey, were you the one she was talking about that helped her kick out that one tenant that took advantage of her.”

“Yeah, me and my neighbor-slash-friends, Chanyeol and Baekhyun. That guy was just straight-up sleazy, he kept ordering and requesting your aunt for things like she’s his maid or something. He even had the gall to  _ borrow  _ money from her. We just had to step in and threaten to report him to the police.” 

Hyukjae remembers that day fondly, they’ve all had enough of  _ Joonyoung _ and were just waiting for the sleazy bastard to show up. No one knows where he disappears to after he’s somehow gotten money from Mrs. Cho but they know for sure it’s not something legal. It took every bit of self-control to talk to the guy calmly, if Hyukjae had let the guy’s cockiness get the best of him he wouldn’t have stopped Chanyeol from punching the guy. Chanyeol may not look like it cause he’s always had that bright smile on his face and kind, innocent eyes but with the right triggers, he could definitely pack a punch. It’s a good thing too that they stopped him or else Joonyoung would have had something to throw back at them when the police arrived. 

“Thank you so much for that, she was so relieved when you guys kicked the guy out, she just started crying. She isn’t really much of a talker when it comes to things that bother her, so I could only imagine the huge thorn you pulled out when that guy was gone.”

“No need to mention it, everyone at the building loves Mrs. Cho. How ‘bout you guys go take a seat and I’ll bring your orders over? On the house.”

“Hey, no need for that Hyuk—” Donghae interjects, who was secretly enjoying his best friend and neighbor’s interaction, already reaching for his wallet from his back pocket. “Nah, don’t worry about it. Go ahead, I’ll be right over.” Hyukjae says while he’s quickly punching their orders and his employee code before Donghae could give him his card.

“Okay, but next time I’m paying and you’re not allowed to refuse.” Hyukjae hands Donghae the receipt, the smug smile on his face causes Kyuhyun to chuckle at their banter. It also doesn’t help that Donghae is now pouting like a child that was denied his favorite candy. He points towards a table that was vacant and is also conveniently closer to the counter, then proceeds to make their drinks and toast their sandwiches. Hyukjae also transfers the remaining slices of strawberry shortcake to clean individual plates and lightly dusts the cake slice with powdered sugar.

When Hyukjae brings over the tray, the two are hunched over the table looking at something in Donghae’s phone, but they quickly break away and even help Hyukjae lay everything down on the table. “You’re a real-life angel Hyukjae, I love your strawberry shortcake.” to prove his point, Kyuhyun is quick to grab the plate and pull it closer towards himself. 

“This is too much Hyuk, you should have at least let us pay for the coffee and sandwiches.”

“You’ve been here before?” Hyukjae asks Kyuhyun, completely ignoring Donghae’s proposition. “Yeah, I usually come during weekends. It’s usually Heechul hyung at the counter and Jisung, I think?”

“No wonder I had a feeling like I saw you before, I must have seen you in passing on one of those delivery days.”

“I rarely dine in any way, but maybe I’ll start doing so now that this guy is here.” he points his thumb towards Donghae who, up until then, was happily enjoying his sandwich, is now looking at them like a deer caught in headlights, his mouth full and paused mid-chew, there’s also crumbs and a small smudge of basil pesto in the corner of his lips.. While Kyuhyun is enjoying his best friend trying and failing to reach over and land a ‘friendly’ smack at any part of his body, Hyukjae chuckles along with their antics and is suddenly hit with a wave of longing for his own best friend. He’d definitely call him later when he gets home, it’s been a while since he heard Sungmin’s voice.

Hyukjae leaves the best friends alone to switch places with Heechul at the break room, there are not many customers to attend to anyway, might as well rest a little before he updates their inventory.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyukjae doesn’t wait to get inside his apartment when he dials Sungmin’s number, it takes two rings before his best friend answers the phone.  _ “Hyukkie, it’s been a while I’m so glad you called!” _

A wide smile automatically blossoms from his lips when he hears his best friend’s voice after so long, “Hey Minnie I know it’s long overdue, I miss you and Saeun so much.”

_ “We miss you too sweetie, how are you there? How’s your cafe doing?” _

“It’s all great here hyung, Heechul and Leeteuk hyung still have their banters from time to time so I’m never bored.” he chuckles along with Sungmin when the older hears his comment, maybe he’s hit with the memory of the time he decided to visit Hyukjae in the city and not a minute after he was introduced to the infamous duo they’re already fighting over which tart should be placed at the front row of the display case.

_ “Those two should just say ‘I love you, man’ and be done with it, there’s no use hiding when it’s so obvious how much they care for each other.” _

“I still don’t get how they became best friends when they’re the exact opposite of each other, even Siwon just watches them fight sometimes. He knows they’ll make up at the end of the week, at most.” 

_ “You do know opposites attract, right?” _

“Yeah but I’m pretty sure they’re not the type of opposites you want together.” Sungmin laughed out loud this time, Hyukjae could almost see the older clutching his tummy in laughter, eyes disappearing and his soft cheeks becoming even more prominent. 

_ “That’s for them to worry about, enough about that, tell me about your day.” _

“Let’s see, nothing much happened except when I managed to convince Heechul hyung to buy brand new Nike shoes for Leeteuk hyung when he asks for forgiveness.” 

_ “That’s so mean Hyukkie, you know the ones Teukie hyung collects cost a fortune.” _

“It’s not like I told him to buy limited edition ones, Teukie hyung is good with anything that has a Nike check on it.”

_ “Even though you should have made it clear.” _

“Heechul hyung is smart enough, he’ll figure it out eventually.”

_ “Whatever Lee Hyukjae. By the way, you should totally come to visit sometime, Saeun says my cooking is improving and I want you to taste my kimchi jjigae and tell me how proud you are of me.” _

“Way to be humble hyung.”

_ “Hey! It’s true, even my mother, mother-in-law, and your mother said it was good.” _

“Whatever hyung, I’ll be the judge of that.”

_ “Challenge accepted, I’ll make you eat those words and everything I’ve prepared.”  _ He doesn’t really mean what he said, it’s just cute to tease Sungmin sometimes especially when he’s determined about something. And Sungmin knows that well, it’s just that sometimes he forgets that Hyukjae is just saying that to rile him up to tease him.

Silence then envelops them from both ends, Sungmin waiting for Hyukjae’s retort and Hyukjae contemplating whether or not to tell his best friend about  _ him _ .  _ It’s not a big deal, it’s just a crush _ his mind supplies, yet why was he so nervous?

“I think I like someone hyung.” 

He waits for the response with bated breath, his unoccupied hand unconsciously looking for something to play with. He settles with the few fraying stitches along his couch’s armrest not at all worried that he may accidentally pull it off completely. That’ll be tomorrow’s problem. It’s a good thing Sungmin answers before that happens.

_ “What makes you think so?” _

“We’ve only just met, he moved in a couple of weeks ago. He lives in the apartment opposite mine.”

_ “And how is it when you’re with him?” _

“Well we’ve only had quick chats when we get to the elevator in the morning for work so it’s too soon to tell but based on the things we’ve talked about, I’d say he’s pretty interesting,” he remembers all the mornings they rode the elevator down together and wishing it’d make its descent to the ground floor slower so he’d have more time to talk to Donghae. He doesn’t know how Donghae does it but he never fails to make Hyukjae feel at ease in his presence.

_ “Is he handsome?” _

_ YES,  _ is the undeniable answer but  __ “Really hyung?” is what he chooses to say.

_ “What? There’s nothing wrong with my question.” _

“...he is.” he answers eventually and not a second later he hears Sungmin yell over the phone,  _ “Honey! Hyukkie has a crush on his neighbor!”  _

“HYUNG!” It’s a good thing Saeun was there to ‘scold’ her husband for being mean to his best friend. He knows that would be futile but he appreciates her effort.

_ “It’s not like he’ll hear me Hyukkie, don’t go turning into a tomato not when I’m not there to tease you.” _

“So what you’re doing right now is not  _ teasing _ ?”

_ “Nope, I’m not there so it doesn’t count.” _

“I’m hanging up hyung.”

_ “I’m glad you told me Hyukkie, it means a lot to me.”  _ Sungmin’s soft voice makes him forget about the teasing. “It’s just a crush hyung.” he responds eventually, his voice equally soft and a bit unsure. 

_ “It’s okay to want it to be something more, Hyukjae. You should let someone get to know you more, you’re an amazing human being Hyukkie.” _

“I’m trying hyung, but right now I don’t want to get ahead of this and just let it be a crush.”

_ “That’s okay too, take your time. But please if you feel something for this guy, may it be doubt or something else, don’t hesitate to tell me or anyone there. You don’t have to be alone again Hyuk.” _

“I know that hyung, and I’m not alone anymore.”

_ “I’m proud of you Hyuk.” _

“Thank you hyung, for everything.” his eyes feel a little teary, he knows for sure Sungmin is. But somehow Hyukjae’s glad it’s for a completely different reason.

_ “Don’t mention it, so am I allowed to know the name of this crush of yours?” _

“Donghae, Lee Donghae.”

_ “Wah, it’s meant to be. You don’t even need to change your surname when you get married.” _

“I’m hanging up hyung!”

_ “Love you too Hyukkie!” _

_ What nonsense,  _ Hyukjae thinks after he’s hung up on Sungmin. His best friend comes up with the most fanatical scenarios sometimes, it’s a good thing Hyukjae has learned to filter some of them out. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


_ It doesn’t sound too bad, though. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's not much to go with in this chapter but I feel like it's necessary for the flow of the story, for continuity purposes (・・; sksksks anyway, do tell me your thoughts! There are hints winkwonkeyeemoji about a lot of things here so I hope that'd pique your interest for the coming chapters. I plan on the next chapter to be on Donghae's perspective if it goes to plan, or not, depends on what feels right to me x3 Until next time!
> 
> (crossposted on aff)


	3. Something new

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's special in itself
> 
> So what if it's a bit different
> 
> You don't need to work hard to
> 
> Change for someone else
> 
> Sketch it as if you’re drawing a pretty picture
> 
> All you do
> 
> Dye the world with colors you like
> 
> I hope you find it wherever
> 
> Something New
> 
> (translation from https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-taeyeon-something-new-english-translation-lyrics)

It has been two months since Donghae moved into the apartment building, and it’s safe to say that it’s been the best decision he has made in his life. Apart from finally having space, he could call his own—don’t get him wrong though, he loved living with his parents, older brother, and his family, but having that many people living under one roof there are certain aspects that you’d have to sacrifice and one would be privacy. So although he loved his mother’s cooking and teasing his nephew, living there was starting to get suffocating. 

So when his best friend, Kyuhyun, mentioned that his aunt has an apartment in her building that was vacant, Donghae quickly jumps at the opportunity to inspect the said apartment and finds more than two reasons to move in. The top one that definitely piqued his interest is the decreased distance of the branch of his brother’s clothing store that he works at and models part-time from, also, the amount of space he could have for himself was perfect. It wasn’t too big that he’d feel lonely nor is it too small that it’s only a few meters larger than his bedroom at home. The apartment was also a corner unit, which means he gets to have the best view of the sunrise in the morning and twinkling lights of city life without being at the heart of the hustle and bustle. 

The final cherry on top though was not something Donghae was actively searching for (it’s also something that wouldn’t have greatly impacted his decision but it definitely added a point or two.). 

As he was thanking Mrs. Cho—Kyuhyun’s aunt, his ears picked up merry laughter coming from the glass door entrance of the apartment building. There he sees three men looking about the same age as he was, two of which were already inside the building and the last one was struggling to take a step forward from laughing uncontrollably, one hand was holding the door open while his other hand was clutching at his stomach and his whole body was bent in half, his form shaking from laughing and trying to get his breathing back to normal. Looking at them makes him miss his own set of friends. 

Donghae was about to take his attention back to his best friend and his aunt when the guy by the glass door seems to have his breathing back to normal, enough for him to straighten his back but the mirth in his face has not faded still. And isn’t it ironic that he steals Donghae’s breath away as quickly as he regains his?

The guy who now has his undivided attention has eyes crinkling into crescents, his nose scrunching into the middle of his face and his lips open in a wide grin showcasing his gummy smile that is strangely endearing. His whole form just glows, completely carefree and happy in the bubble he and his friends have surrounded themselves in. A smile makes its way to Donghae’s lips when the laughter comes back alive, apparently one of the trios decides to reenact what had caused them to lose their breaths in the first place, he looks away from the scene before he gets caught. 

He thanks Kyuhyun’s aunt for letting him take a look into the apartment and promises her that he’ll get back at her when he’s done informing his parents. The pair take their leave after one last hug to both of them from the kind elder woman, he takes one last glance at the staircase where the trio of friends was last seen. At least Donghae’s sure the guy lives in the same building, one less thing to worry about.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The first week in the new apartment took Donghae a bit of getting used to. He’s lived with his family since he was a kid that as he’s staring into the wall of his living room thinking of what to eat, he’s going to start to stray from the habits and rituals he’s done his whole life. His issue relies more on the dramatic reduction of living with more than three people in one house to having an entire place all to himself. Donghae has never had mealtimes this quiet, and admittedly boring even when the tv is on when he was still living with his parents but nothing a long phone call can’t fix at least for the time being.

He’s also come to know that the beautiful laughing stranger literally lives in the apartment directly opposite his. Donghae somehow had an idea that they lived in the same building but he wasn’t prepared to have seen  _ him  _ again so soon. And sure, Donghae could have been a lot smoother with his interaction with  _ him _ —who he now knows as Hyukjae. It could have played out like one of those scenes in rom-com dramas where the lead meets the other’s eyes and everything slows down, there’s extra lighting surrounding them both blatantly saying  _ they’re the one _ , and the closer they walk towards each other the faster their hearts beat and they stop just a few steps from each other and everything’s history. 

But no, he just  _ had  _ to destroy that possibility by making a mess of his heavy pots and pans with the explosively loud clanking of metal colliding with cement. 

_ Doesn’t matter though,  _ Donghae reassures himself, as he believes he’s ‘kept’ his composure during the short interaction with Hyukjae despite the initial tremors of his hands when he heard Hyukjae talking  _ and  _ helping him with his mess. It was hard too, to keep himself from fawning over the other male when he looked so soft bathed in the morning sun, Hyukjae’s light brown hair forming a halo showcasing his high cheekbones and the content smile he had on his face when he was exiting his apartment. It’s such a shame though that they had to cut their talk short, and it wasn’t in Donghae’s intention to come off as rude, truly that wasn’t his intention. But judging from the phone call Hyukjae received it sounded like he’s really needed at work, minus the playful banter from his co-worker. So Donghae quietly said  _ see you when I see you _ , more to himself than out loud, and he retreated to his apartment to finally finish unpacking. 

He’s not ashamed to admit that he’s held the pot Hyukjae handled delicately as he reminisces what happened earlier, already looking forward to the next morning in hopes of catching him at the elevator.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Just as he was thinking of ways to approach Hyukjae, it would seem that God has deemed him worthy of such blessings (or may have been a little embarrassed for Donghae when He looked into Donghae’s plans and saw one of it included ‘pathetically waiting in the convenience store nearby’ just so he could accompany Hyukjae on the ride up the elevator). Over the course of three days, he’s shared a conversation with Hyukjae at the convenience store over microwaved bento meals and cold beverages, strawberry milk for Hyukjae, and cola for Donghae.

Donghae talked about his  _ incredible  _ talent of making his nephew cry by just being in his arms, Hyukjae calls him a mean uncle yet he’s laughed along with the mischievous acts Donghae’s done to his poor nephew. Hyukjae shares his  _ incredible  _ talent of being a clutz at online shopping and the one-time Hyukjae thought he ordered an assembled wooden cabinet which turns up to be too small for his kitchen—which is fitting for a dollhouse that Hyukjae’s apartment. Donghae makes a deal of helping Hyukjae with his next online purchase in exchange for Hyukjae’s lessons on how to tease little kids without making them cry. 

The day after that Donghae spent the whole day sleeping like a log, the adrenaline coursing through his body the day before has been well spent, and now his body has completely shut down for a well-deserved rest. It’s been years since he woke up well into the afternoon, no amount of missed calls from his mother, brother, and best friend could halt his dreams neither wake him up completely. And since he didn’t want to hear his mother’s voice nagging him in the back of his head for spending half a day in bed. Donghae looks through his fridge and kitchen cabinets and lists down everything he needs to buy at the supermarket the next day. He’s also listing down toiletries, an extra bed sheet, and pillow covers, as well as looking into the possibility of window shopping for furniture and appliances he’s missing because although he has the basics, Donghae wants to at least make some of the visions of how his dream apartment would be like to come to a reality.

Although for now some of those components would have to wait for much longer, it doesn’t mean Donghae can’t write it down on a separate list. 

  
  
  
  


Donghae wakes up much earlier, he feels refreshed and very excited to fulfill his first grocery trip alone. He follows his mother’s reminders and tips when he would accompany her at the farmer’s market and supermarket which is why he’s planning to go at 8 in the morning, his first stop is going to be at the farmer’s market and go crazy on the fruits and vegetable on season also see if there’s a promo on meats, that’d be a big help on a budget. Then when he thinks he has enough to last him at least a week on produce, Donghae’s next stop would be the supermarket for the other stuff he has listed like cleaning supplies, also maybe some cereal if he’s feeling like spoiling himself.

With those plans in mind, Donghae downs his remaining coffee and slings his crossbody bag once he’s made sure that he has everything he needs. It’s a good thing he has a car, he can already foresee how much he’ll be bringing home from his trip no matter how much he plans to budget and prioritize things on his list. He’ll come to regret that some other day, for now, he welcomes the incoming chaos.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hauling the last grocery bag inside his apartment, Donghae succumbs to the urge to splay on his couch and just revel in the feeling of his energy seeping out of his bones as his body molds into the soft cushions of his couch. He anticipated the number of brands and choices he’s going to be conflicted on choosing but Donghae didn’t think it’d be this exhausting to read through many nutrition facts label and ingredient’s lists as well as comparing one brand from another based on their claims and pricing. There was one point in the middle of all this that Donghae thought of just throwing his self-imposed restriction out the window and just dump anything that catches his eye into the cart.

But after spending almost an hour inside the store, paying at the counter has never felt this fulfilling. Doesn’t matter that he had to use credit instead of cash, Donghae has accomplished something and it’s just the first week of his newfound freedom. Too bad those feel-good hormones decide to fade out the moment he has his grocery bags at the building lobby.

With his head hung low, Donghae rests his weight against the wall beside the elevator while he waits for it to arrive. He closes his eyes for the time being and takes a big breath in, holds it for a few seconds then releases it slowly for eight seconds, it’s what he usually does when he’s intense situations or those times where he’s nervous but he finds it is also helpful for relaxation. 

“Oh hey—wow, you planning on feeding an army there?” Donghae doesn’t notice the elevator doors opening nor does process the teasing jab at the mountain of supplies he has surrounded him, for even when he opened his eyes he already knew who was asking. What caught him off guard was the perfect mix of contrasts Hyukjae was showcasing through what he was wearing.

Hyukjae had his hair down, like always, never failing to look effortlessly good and soft; completely agreeing with the person it belongs to. What was different is that instead of a soft sweater, like what he wore in the past when they ran into each other, Hyukjae was clad in a crisp white button-down shirt that was neatly tucked into his pressed black slacks paired with vans old skool canvas shoes. The soft oversized gray cardigan was the cherry on top. The whole look perfectly suits Hyukjae; cool and collected but was endearingly soft and gentle. 

Donghae smoothly covers the fact that he was staring for more than necessary with a light chuckle and a shrug of his shoulders at the other male, although his ears tell a different story. “Ha ha, don’t tell me you’ve never overspent on something before.” When he was about to reach for the bags near Hyukjae’s feet, the other was quicker than he was and was already reentering the elevator. “I have, but I didn’t plan on cleaning out the whole store.” 

“I couldn’t help it okay? I saw something and there wasn’t anyone there to stop me.” Donghae reasons out even where there’s really no use, he’s positive Hyukjae would revisit this moment when he would catch Donghae come home from his future grocery store visits. 

“Well, next time leave some for the rest of us.”

“I’ll keep that in mind—hey wait, weren’t you just going out?” the number four button was already illuminated when he remembered that Hyukjae came down on the elevator just minutes ago. The other just shrugs at him “It can wait, it’s not that urgent anyway. Besides, you looked like you were about to pass out.”

“You didn’t have to but I really appreciate it. Thank God I have my car, I don’t know how I would have managed all this while I waited for a cab.”

“Didn’t your mom ever teach you to write a list?”

“She did but after I was able to get the things I listed down I figured it’d be okay to give myself a reward and everything went overboard after that.”

“Now you know, next time try not to give into promos that’s how multi-dollar companies win us over.” They are both notified with a dull  _ ding _ , the metal doors open to their floor, and one at a time with their arms straining caused by the heavy bags, they both waddle like ducks in a row to Donghae’s apartment. Donghae quickly unlocks his door and Hyukjae is kind enough to gently place the bags just beyond his doorstep.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again Hyukjae, I really appreciate it.” Hyukjae returns his smile with another, there’s a light blush on his cheeks but Donghae quickly dismisses that thought, thinking it’s due to the abrupt heavy lifting. “It’s no problem at all, I didn't want you to pass out in the hallway just because of one shopping trip.” 

“Hey! Walking through the farmer’s market  _ and  _ a grocery store can be very tiring you know.”

“I do, I just don’t go to both on the same day.”

“Whatever. Can I get you anything before you go? I think I still have some coffee in the pot, I could reheat it really quick.” Hyukjae stops him from fully going to the kitchen, the touch on his arm is soft although already fleeting. “That’s sweet but I really should be going, Heechul hyung is going to be looking for me already now that his lunch break is in a few minutes.”

Hyukjae leaves his apartment after Donghae’s insistence on treating him to a meal, it took a little back and forth between the two males but Donghae successfully makes the other agree on the compromise that Hyukjae is in charge of dessert after. 

As he lays on his couch face up, the tv serving as background noise in the otherwise silent apartment, an easy smile rests on his face when he recalls the past two days. It shouldn’t feel this easy to be in the presence of someone you’ve just met yet whenever he’s in the same room with Hyukjae he just feels light and happy and excited for next time. He feels like he’s in high school again when his crush so much as spared him a glance and a smile. 

_ Wait until Kyu hears about this. _ Donghae chuckles at this thought, telling his best friend about this could be a double-edged sword. Kyuhyun would be both supportive and be immensely annoying with his jabs and teasing, more so in this situation where the object of his blooming interest lives in his aunt’s apartment building. This realization puts off telling his best friend for the time being, maybe until he can’t contain it anymore—which is, really, not that long. In the meantime, Donghae pushes himself off the couch to start putting away the things he’s bought. He needs to keep himself preoccupied to prevent himself from looking too far into the future, it wouldn’t be good for his health—if you know what that means. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


_ That afternoon in the middle of working out in his living room, a series of knocks breaks him out of the zone. Without much thought, Donghae haphazardly wipes the sweat on his face to try to at least look presentable to the person on the door—the fact that his shirt is drenched in sweat going out the window. He’s completely caught off guard when he opens the door and sees Hyukjae back from work and delicately holding a paper bag in front of him with both his hands. Hyukjae looks tired but that doesn’t damper the glow that he naturally radiates.  _

_ He’s about to ask the other about his day when he notices the lithe male's eyes aren't even looking at Donghae’s face like he usually does. Following his stare, Donghae feels like he’s grown an inch or two knowing Hyukjae appreciates his hard-earned work. He bites his lips to prevent the giddy chuckles threatening to escape, he wouldn’t want to scare Hyukjae off by looking like he’s lost his mind.  _

  
  
  


_ That night when he bites into the banana and almond bread Hyukjae gave him, his brain is floating in the ecstasy of what he discovered and no amount of the delicious loaf could ever bring him down. _

  
_ It’s a small chance and too soon to tell, but it’s enough to hold onto, right? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crossposted from aff

**Author's Note:**

> (crossposted on aff)


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